Selena Gomez on being diagnosed with bipolar disorder: “It took the fear away”

Selena Gomez has opened up for the first time about being diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

The pop star appeared on Instagram Live with Miley Cyrus for the latest instalment in Cyrus’ Bright Minded series.

During the 20-minute conversation, the pair’s discussion turned to mental health after talking about how Gomez is coping with the current coronavirus pandemic.

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“Recently, I went to one of the best mental health hospitals in America, McClean Hospital, and I discussed that after years of going through a lot of different things, I realised that I was bipolar,” Gomez said. “And so when I got to know more information, it actually helps me. It doesn’t scare me once I know it.”

She continued to acknowledge dealing with their mental health is something that people “get scared of”. “I’ve seen some of it even in my own family where I’m like, ‘What’s going on?’

“I’m from Texas, it’s just not known to talk about mental health. You got to seem cool. And then I see anger built up in children and teenagers or whatever, young adults, because they are wanting that so badly. I just feel like when I finally said what I was going to say, I wanted to know everything about it. And it took the fear away.”

Speaking of the moment she received the diagnosis, Gomez said she was “equal parts terrified and relieved”. “Terrified because the veil was lifted but relieved that I finally had the knowledge of why I had suffered with various depressions and anxieties for so many years,” she explained. “I never had full awareness or answers about this condition.”

Gomez has spoken about her experiences with depression in the past, but has never revealed her bipolar diagnosis before.

The song followed the release of her latest album ‘Rare’. In a three-star review, NME said: “Just as there is plenty of gold on ‘Rare’, there is also plenty of filler – usually found when the songs sound like they could be sung by any number of current pop stars […] Blips aside, ‘Rare’ is a beautifully confident return from one of pop’s most underrated stars, and a quietly defiant wrestling back of the narrative surrounding her.”